Process of manufacturing gas for inflating aerostats.



E "starts a u Y OSKAR .NA'USS, =01 BRESLiAU, GERMANY.

' zenocnss OF manurecrunme ens 'rou in-rnnrme mosrars.

No Drawing.

T I v x I I I A Specification-of Letters Patent. Patented July 26, 1910.

Application filed February 12, 1910. Serial No. 543,554. I

To all whom-it may concern:

' Be 'it known that I, OSKAR NAUSS, a subject of the German Emperor, and residing at Breslau, German ,Empire, have invented .certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Manufacturing Gas for Inflating Aerostats, of whichthe following-is a specification. I

Hitherto the aerostats or buoyant bodies of aerial machines have beeninflated almost always either with illuminating gas or by drogen gas. The former gas, however, is

relatively heavy and is therefore usually employd only for non-steered balloons. -Hydrogen gas, again, meets the demands made by the navigable balloon in point of specific gravity and thus of buoyancy and carrying power; but according to present methods it is troublesome to manufacture in large quan{ tities and is thus relatively expensive.

The present invention relates to a process.

of converting into technically pure, hydrogen gas, and thus renderingsuitable for the in flation 'of navigable balloons, the crude or the purified illuminating gas of gas works, which, as is well; known, consists substantially of hydrocarbons, hydrogen gas and carbonic oxid. Y

It is a familiar fact that. if illuminating gas is exposed to very high temperatures the percentage of hydrogen increases, owing to the decomposition of hydrocarbons. It is also a well-known fact that if a mixture of carbonic oxidand hydrogen is conducted converted into methane,

over catalytic agents, the carbonic oxid is heating to a high temperature, is decom osed into carbonandhydrogen. Further, it has already been proposed in the case of gases obtained by dry distillation, 'to' free them from carbonic oxid and hydrocarbons-by drogentakingtheir place-by allowingvthe gases to act upon'metallic nickel or cobaltat a temperature not exceeding dark. red

heat (350-450 degrees centigrade); The carbonic oxid is decomposed into carbonic acid and "carbon, which latter, bound by the nickelor' cobalt, can, by passing steam oyer it, also be oxidized to form carbonic acid, hydrogen being liberated. In this process,

therefore, very large quantities of carbonic acid are formed and have to be subsequently removed from 'the'final gas obtained. j Moreover, the conversion of the carbonic oxid into carbonic acid in the presence ofhydro gen is but incomplete, sincetllereisalwaye more or less methane which, again, by

present, depending upon the quantity of Furthermore, at the low temperature-mentioned, the hydrocarbons present are very 'sli htlyup to aboutone fifth of their vo umedecomposed, and. arethus-to be found to a large extent in the resultant gas.

hydrogen present.-

According to my new process the illuminating gas is passed over catalytic-agents, whereby I the specifically relatively heavy carbonic oxid is converted i'nto methane. Hereupon, by the suitable employment 'of high' temperatures, the mixture, now consisting substantially of hydrocarbons and hydrogen, is converted into almost pure hyreactions which take place, proceed more also exposed to the infiuence'of high temperatures before being conducted over the catalytic agents, whereby the heavy hydrocarbons aredecomposed, since these, as experience shows, influence the action of the catalyzing substances. Further, in this manner, owingto the higher percentage of hydrogen in the gas prior to its being conducted to the catalytic agents, the conversion ,of the car bonic oxid into methane is further fayored by increased molar action. Y

The reactions upon which the process is based, are as follows presentinga large surface (preferably coke,

drogen, carbon being separated out. The

rapidly effectively if the, initial gas is orclay or the like mixed with iron, cobaltf nickel, etc), and is preferably heated from the outside. With a view-to ralsmg the temperature. more rapidly, theheatmg may at the commencement also be carried on from within, and air supplied by means of a blower.- The gas to be decomposed 1s novt conducted through the retort. If the gas is conducted with a suitable velocity and a sufficiently high temperature maintained in the layer of incandescent coke,about 1000-1200 degrees centigrade-, the hydrocarbons w1ll be rapidly decomposed.

nickel or co After the gas has left the retorts or chambers in which it has passed over the incandescent coke it enters a vessel containing balt as catalytic agent. Clay may be employed as carrier of the catalytically acting metals. Atthe temperature of.

about 250-300 degrees centigrade the carbonic oxid is converted with the excess of commencement of the process and the methane is split up'into carbon and hydrogen. The gas so obtained is freed from the entrained carbon in well-known manner, and,

depending upon the particular requirements of the case, stored in a vessel, or after suflicient cooling let direct into the aerostats. It consists of technically pure hydrogen and exceeds the original quantity of gas employed by about one-fifth of'the volume. a

' Instead of illuminating gas, a mixture of illuminating gas and water gas might be employed. The procedure in this case also takes place in similar manner to that when illuminating 'gas alone is used; The higher percentage of hydrogen gas and the lower percentage of heavy hydrocarbons favor the conversion of carbonic oxid into methane.

' Having thus described my invention, I

sire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The process of manufacturing a gas suitable for the inflation of"aerostats, consisting in passing coal gas over catalytic I agents at a suitable temperature, for the pui pose of converting the carbonic oxid present into methane; in subjecting .it to a high temperature, whereby the methane is, split up into carbon and hydrogen; and in finally freeing it from carbon in suitable manner;

whereby a gas consisting substantially of hydrogen is obtained.

2. The process of manufacturing a gas suitable for the inflation-of aerosta'ts, consisting in submitting coal gas to high tem-;

peratures, in order to decompose heavy hydrocarbons; in passing-:it over catalytic agents at a suitable temperature, for the purpose of converting the carbonic oxid presentinto methane; in subjecting it to a high temperature, whereby the methane is split up into carbon and hydrogen; and in finally freeing it from carbon in suitable manner; whereby a gas consisting substantially of hydrogen is obtained. v

3. The process of manufacturing a gas suitablefor the inflation of aerostats, consisting in mixing together coal gas and water gas; in passing the mixture of coal gas and water gas over catalytic agents at a suitable temperature, for the purpose of converting the carbonic oxid present into methane; in subjectingit to a high temperature,whereby the methane is split up into carbon and.

hydrogen; and in finally freeing it from carbon in suitable manner; whereby a gasconsisting substantially of hydrogen is obtained. In testimony whereof I afiix mysignatur 'inpresence oftwo witnesses. declare that what I claim as new, and de- OSKAR NAUSS.

Witnesses:

SIEGFRIED LUSTIG, LOUIS KATZ. 

